Elderly Woman Awarded $9 Million by Miami Jury for Mesothelioma

Moure-Cabrera was awarded $3 million for past medical bills and an additional $6 million for past and future pain and suffering.

Juries continue to award victims who claim that asbestos in Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based powders caused their illness. One of the most recent verdicts was handed down by a Florida jury which awarded 82-year-old Blanca Moure-Cabrera with $9 million in compensation for the damages she suffered.

Moure-Cabrera was awarded $3 million for past medical bills and an additional $6 million for past and future pain and suffering. Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly form cancer which is linked to exposure to asbestos. This is considered the first verdict in the state of Florida linking the talcum powder to mesothelioma.

Baby Powder Use Blamed for Mesothelioma

According to the evidence that was presented in the lawsuit, Moure-Cabrera’s use of J&J baby powder dates all the way back to 1959. She continued to use the baby powder for herself and her children through 2018. In August of 2018, she was diagnosed with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. In her lawsuit, she accused Johnson & Johnson of negligence and strict liability.

The jury supported her claim’s that J&J knew for decades that the talc used in the products could become contaminated with asbestos and that this is how they were negligent because they continued to sell the defective product anyway.

Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that it would appeal the verdict, holding firm to its stance that their talc-based products are safe and asbestos free.

More Lawsuits and Verdicts to Come

Blanca Moure-Cabrera’s verdict comes just days after J&J agreed to a confidential settlement with a woman from California just as her trial was set to begin. In February, a NJ jury hit Johnson & Johnson with $750 million in punitive damages in a case that alleged their powder cause the plaintiff’s mesothelioma. However, the state has a cap on punitive damages and the verdict was reduced to $186 million. A separate jury had awarded $37.3 million in compensatory damages to the same plaintiffs.

Johnson & Johnson has and continues to face thousands of lawsuits alleging that their talcum powder has caused people to develop ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. In many of these cases, asbestos contamination is listed is a culprit.

St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Lawyer

If you or a loved one were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, contact our St. Louis personal injury lawyers today. We have more than 20 years of experience assisting people throughout St. Louis to obtain the compensation they need to recover. We will sit down with you and review your case, you will receive the representation you need and deserve.